Powder measure



June 2 1964 G. L. MITTELsTl-:ADT 3135434 POWDER MEASURE Filed March 19, 1963 Ffa. 2

?atented June 2, 1964 3,135,434 POWDER MEASURE Gien L. Mittelsteadt, Waseca, Minn., assigner to Herters Inc., Waseca, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Filed Mar. 19, 1963, Ser. No. 266,418 Claims. (Cl. 222-306) This invention relates to an apparatus for measuring by volume and dispensing quantities of gun powder in connection with the loading or reloading of cartridges or shells.

In connection with measuring of gun powder for loading cartridges, it is extremely important that the quantity of powder measured and dispensed be accurate to an extremely high degree and furthermore, that in successive measuring and dispensing operations, like amounts, to a high degree of accuracy be measured and dispensed. Although such measuring and dispensing apparatus have been known heretofore, diiculties have been encountered in maintaining a predetermined measure of powder particularly in successive operations and it has also been dificult to change the setting of the measuring apparatus and subsequently come back to the identical setting without a considerable waste of time in measuring samples by weight.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and irnproved powder measure of simple and inexpensive construction and operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel apparatus for accurately measuring, by volume, predetermined quantities of powder with a minimum of eiort and adjustment in relation to arriving at the setting of the apparatus relating to the desired predetermined quantity.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a cam controlled variable Vmeasuring device for gun powder and the like, improved and novel mechanism which, through extremely simple adjustment is adapted for measuring over an extremely wide range of quantities, accurate amounts of gun powder.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to -similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view of the powder measure;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section view of the powder measure with certain portions thereof shown as indicated at 2 2 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail section view taken approximately at 3-3 in FIG. 2.

One form-of the present invention is shown in the drawings and is described herein.

The powder measure is indicated in general by numeral 10 and includes a rigid metal housing 11 having an upper portion 11a forming an open topped hopper 12 for funneling gun powder downwardly along the downwardly con- 'i verging hopper walls 13 toward the supply opening 14 which communicates between the bottom of the hopper 12 and the upper portion of a cylindrical rotor-mounting chamber 15 at the intermediate portion 11b of the housing. The cylindrical chamber 15 has its central axis chamber 15 in'c'losely iitting and relatively tight-fitting relation so as to prevent any quantities of powder from collecting between these peripheral walls, but also such as to permit turning of the rotor 1'7 in the chamber 15.

A handle 2i) is attached as by screws 21 to the rotor 17 to effect turning of the rotor.

`is related to the inner peripheral wall surface 19 of the The lower portion 11a` of the housing defines a downwardly extending passage 22 therethrough and communicating with the chamber 15 at the discharge port 23 at the lower side of the chamber 15. The lower portion of housing 11a` is threaded internally and externally at 24 and 25 to facilitate attachment of the powder measure 10 or a supporting appliance and to facilitate attachment of other devices as for guiding the measured quantities of powder being discharged.

The housing 11, at the intermediate portion 11b thereof is also provided with an arcuate slot 26 at one transverse side of the chamber 15 and communicating between the chamber 15 and the exterior of the housing. The slot 26 extends arcuately around the periphery of chamber 15 and rotor 17 with the opposite ends 27 and 28 of the slot being respectively disposed in spaced relation with the supply at discharge ports 14 and 23.

The rotor 17 has an opening 29 extending diametrically therethrough. One end portion 30 of the opening 29 communicates alternately with the supply port 14 and the discharge port 23 as the rotor 17 is swung to the full and dotted line positions illustrated in FIG. 2.

A rigid tube 31 has its inner end 32 aflixed in the opening 29 of rotor 17 as by a set screw 33. The outer end 34 of the tube 31 extends outwardly through the slot 26, and is provided with an elongate slot 35 entirely across opposite sides of the tube so as to bifurcate the outer end 34 of thetube.

A pivot pin 36 extends transversely through the outer end 34 of the tube and through apertures 37 therein. The pivot pin 36 has a releasable retaining nut 38 thereon for tightening against'the bifurcated end 34 of the tube and also for permitting complete removal of the pin l36 from the tube.

A piston 39 is slidably mounted in tight-fitting relation within the tube 31 so as to cooperate with the inner end 32 of the tube and with the opening 29 in the rotor in dening a measuring cell 40 of variable size. The outer end of the piston 39 is provided with an endwise facing cam-following surface 41 and is also provided with an endwise extending rigid lip 42 extending beyond the surface 41.

Means are providedfor controlling the positioning of the piston 39, and such means includes a flat plate-like rigid cam 43 having a central mounting aperture rotatably mounted upon the circular periphery of the pivot pin 36 so as to facilitate swinging of cam 43. The cam 43 lies in the slot 35, and the bifurcated end portion 34 of the tube, may be clamped against the cam 43 by tightening nut 38 so as to retain the cam in any desired orientation.

The cam 43 has an outer camming edge 44 which progressively varies in spacing from the pivot pin 36. It will be noted that the outer camming surface 44 extends substantially around the entire periphery of the cam 43. It is to be particularly noted that the portion 45 of the cam edge 44, which is most remote frompivot 36 as cornpared to all other portions of the cam, is disposed next adjacent the portion 46 of the camming edge 44, which portion 46 is least remote of all portions of the edge from the pivot 36. An elongate coil-type tension spring 47 is provided for continuously urging the outer end of piston 39 against the camming edge 44. The upper end of the spring 47 is connected to the lip 42 which lies along one surface of the cam 43 to be guided thereby and prevent the piston 39 from rotating. It will be noted that the spring 47 is connected to the lip 42 at a location spaced from that portion of camming edge 44 which actually engages the shoulder surface 41 ofthe piston.

It is to be noted that the spring 47 extends downwardly within the tube 31 andalong one side of the pivot 36 and lies in an annular groove 48 of the pin 36. The other end of spring 47 is looped around, but detachably con` .,hereinanlsettorthinthe.appended*claims.v f

Vnected to an anchor or pin Y49 aixed on the cam 43.

The anchor or pin 49 for the spring is Vpositioned in spaced relation with the pivot 36 on a radius of the cam 43 between the pivot 36 and the portion 45 of camming edge 44 most remote from Ythe pivot 36.

The upper portion 11a of the housing is attachedto receive and support the neck r50 of a bottle 51 ofgun powder. The bottle may be retained in position on the housing 11 as be set screw 52.

In operation, assuming that the piston 39 has beenVv placed in the proper position for adjusting the cell 40 to the desired volume measure, powder will flow downwardly into the vcell 40 when the rotor 17 is inthe position illustrated in FIG. 2. However, when the rotor 17 is swung until the'tube 39 assumes the dotted line position B,'the Vgun powder contained in the cell-40 is discharged through theport 23 and passage 22 from the dispensing unit.

In the Vadjusting of the piston 39,`the nut 38 is r'st loosened and then the plate-like cam 43 is swung to the desired position until a predetermined indicia on the cam 43 lies in a predetermined relation with an edge of the slot 35 on the tube.

Swinging ofthe cam 43- produces' v progressive linear movement of the piston 39V alongthe ,Y

tube. The lip 42 guides against one surface of the cam 43 and prevents rotation of theV piston and maintains the upper end of the spring 47 Vin'an out-of-the-way position with respect to the interengagement of the edge'44 and surface y41 of the pistion and thereby provides vunobstructed camming action to V,carefully control the movement of the piston. Y 'f Movement of the vspring 47 during rotation of the'cam 43 isV important and is to be particularly noted; As viewed in FIG.'3, when the cam 43 lis swung from the dotted lineposition C shown to the full line position shown; lthe lower portion of the Vspring V47 is moved downwardly and then looped or wrapped around the pivot 36 in the manner shown yso as to bodily move the` entire springl while maintaining substantially constant spring pressure on the piston 39 Afor retaining the surface 41. against theedge'44 of the cam. Stretching and contracting'ofithe tension spring 47 40 is maintained at an absolute minimum in spiteof thefact Y Y that piston 39 travels linearly along a distanceg of very substantial length inthe tube 31.

Finally, when the desired setting of the piston, as indi- 4,5' l

cated by the position of indicia on the cam 43in relation to theV tube 31, the nut,38 willbeftightened so asto clamplYV the difurcated end 34 of the tube `againstropr'losite sides of theV cam 43 .and thereby positively retain'the c am43 in theV desired position.`

During the operationofthisrcar'nr43 over a substantial period of time, there is substantially no change the pressure by which they spring retainsZthe pistonagainst the cam, fdu'eV to the extremely small, if any, 'exing of the spring in the normaloperation;V As aresult, the piston 39 will always be in a predetermined location in the Vtube v31 when the cam 43 isset ata predetermined orientation.

The cam 43 may be changed in its setting and returned to vanoriginal setting and the volume of "cell 40wil1vbe identical to that previously obtained at the same setting of Cam 43.V It is to. be notedthat regardless nof .the longitudinal position o piston 39, the pressurewith which spring 47 engages the camming, edge 44 remains constant.

It will further be ynotedl that;by'removingjnut 3 8, thepivot 36 maybe bodily removed from thevtu'b'e31.V VThe cam 43 may then be slipped'downwardly-out of the slots `65 35 and the piston may be bodily-v 4removedgfthrough'the unobstructed outer end'34 4 of thetube so as to` permit-the v replacing'of the pistonV 39withanother pistonof different l' 1 V'length'.V so as to materially; change. the capacityEof the ;j g Vcellli). 'Y A, 1' 'Y 'if y I i* A70 Itwill-gof course', beseenfthat variouschanges may be ,v `made inthe form, details,arrangenient and proportions of the parts without departing from the scopeof the in vention which consists of the matter shown'and described ithe'tuliav Y aat carnswingablymounted onisaid pivot and lying Vin said slotinla'plant extendinglongitudinallyof the.V .Y tube;s aidc'a'rn` having acamming outer edgefvariably Y 4 What is claimed is: l. A powder measure,

comprising a housing dening a cylindrical rotor-mountlng chamber having a horizontal laxis and having upper and lower sides and a peripheral sidewall, the housing having supply and discharge ports respectively communicatingfwith the upper.Y and lower sides of said chamber, said housing also having an arcuate slot throughthe peripheral sidewall and extending circumferentially .ofV the chamber into spacedrelation with said supply and discharge ports,

a cyhndrical VrotorV mounted concentrically inv said chamber'for turning about said axis, said rotor having an opening extending therethrough and transy versely of the rotationfaxis, said Vppening having a f' irst open end alternately communicating with said supply and-discharge portspwhen the rotor. is turned,

` 1a measuring tube having an innerend affixed in the Yopening ofsaid rotor and having lanv outer end extending outwardly through s aidfslot, said outer-.end f "having an elongate slot extending Vlongitudinally* of the tube," Y j a vpiston slidably mounted within the tube. in tighttting relation Vand cooperating fwiththe Vtube 'and rotor opening in deiininga powder measure ,cell'oi Y Y variable size, Y

A pivotfmean's defining va pivot `taxis :and .mountedtonthe outer end of thetube and extending "transversely of t the elongate slot,

a ilat cam swingably mountedon said pivot-means and lying'in said slot Vin aplaneextending longitudinally i of the tube, said camV having a camming outer edge K l variablyV spaced from said pivot axis and engaging Vsaid pistonitocon'trol the Vpositioning of the piston, a spring withirrthe tube and havingopposite,ends, one YV end of said spring beingjconnected to the piston to `v continuously Aurge the'piston againstsaid c axnrningv edgesY and movable means anchoring the'othery end of-ithe i i spring and connected with saidfcam 'for moving in 1 response to swinging of the'cam and in the longitu-V y'dinal V,direction-of the=springto maintain Ysubstani j tially constant Vspring"pressure on Vthe pistonalong.

' the entire travel thereofinthe Ytube. v

- 'comprising a' housing Vdefining Vva;fcylindrical ,rotormounting chamber having a horizontal axis "andhaving upper and lower sides and a Vperipheral sidewall,V Y

" Vthe housing having supply anddisch'argey ports `respection Vwith? said fsupply; and discharge'- ports, g

. ber'tor turning about axis, -Vsaid rotorfh'ayingan l vopening VVextending therethrough and transversely of v Ltively communicating withthe upper andlowerfsides Y fot s aidchamben'sfaid Vhousing also having an arcuate f slot throughjthe peripheral sidewall fand .extending f circumferentially of the .chamber into` sp'acelrela-V acylin rical-'rotor mounted concentrically insaid cham- 'alternately cunniunicating.V with said supply and discharge ports when the rotor isturned,.r. Y

a. measuring tube Ahaving anr` inner Vendalixedin the opening `ofsaid'rotor and,havin'g,- a`u outer end ex-Y Y Y.tending'l.outwardly/:through saidfslot, said outerend.

having ani elongate .slot lextending"longitudinally of 'apistonslidably munted 'within the tube i Y' relation and ,coo'perating'`with the tubelfandrotor.V

' opening in., ,deiiningza-,powder measuring, `cel 1 y of Q i variable/sizeaf@ j tendingtrantwersel-yl oftheelong'ate slot andtthrogh a pivot mountedjon theouter end ofthe artid-ex-'ik spaced from said pivot and engaging said piston to control the positioning of the piston within the tube and thereby controlling the side of said measuring cell,

a spring lying along said cam Within the tube and having opposite ends, one end of said spring being connected to the piston to .continuously urge the piston against said camming edge,

and an anchor secured to the cam and connected with the other end of said spring, said anchor drawing the spring around the pivot when the cam is swung and thereby bodily moving the spring as the spring urges the piston along the tube to thereby maintain substantially constant pressure on the piston along the entire travel thereof.

3. The invention set forth in claim 2 wherein said camming outer edge of the cam has portions disposed more remotely from the pivot than other portions thereof, the portions of said camming edge most remotely and least remotely spaced from the pivot being disposed adjacent each other on the periphery of said cam,

the elongate slot in the tube extending across opposite sides of the tube to thereby bifurcate the outer end of the tube,

said anchor being disposed in spaced relation with said pivot and substantially on a radius extending from said pivot toward said most remotely spaced por tion of the camming edge, whereby to maintain substantially constant spring pressure on the piston during the entire movement thereof along the tube.

4. The invention set forth in claim 2 and wherein the interior of the outer end of said tube in open and unobstructed,

means releasably retaining said pivot in the tube and permitting removal of the pivot, said anchor and the corresponding end of the spring having cooperatively releasable connecting means,

whereby to permit the piston to be replaced with another of different length and thereby widely vary the capacity of said cell.

5. The invention set forth in claim 2 wherein said piston has a guiding lip projecting downwardly along one side of said fiat cam adjacent the camming edge,

said piston also having an endwise facing surface adjacent said lip and engaging the carnming edge of said cam,

said spring being attached to the piston at said lip in spaced relation with said camming edge whereby to prevent turning of the piston and providing free and unobstructed camming relationship between said endwise-facing surface of the piston.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 774,326 Kelly Nov. 8, 1904 UNITED STATES PATENT oEETEE CERTIFECATE Patent No. 3Y l35y434 June 2Y 1964.

Glen L. Mittemteatzt It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered petent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 4, line 25I for "meest/1re7H .Eeao e measuring Wg line 38, for "edges" read edge ltne 69Y :for "Ezee" read size --g line 74, for "plant" reed m plane -mg Column line 4i for in read is --g line 22.., after nseid" insert edge and said Signed and sealed this 20th dey of @etober 1.964@

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents UNITED STATES PATENT @TENDE CERTIFTCATE E @REETTN Patent No, 3Y 1359434 June 2Y 1964 Glen L. Mimemmadi;

It is hereby certified 'that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as Corrected below.

Column lq line 25 for "measure .need e measuring m-g line 38Y for edges" read edge line 69v :Flon Msizes" read size line 74V for plant read w plane --g column Y line 4Y fon VJln" read is --g after "said" insert edge and said Signed and sealed this 20th day of October T964.,

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. A POWDER MEASURE, COMPRISING A HOUSING DEFINING A CYLINDRICAL ROTOR-MOUNTING CHAMBER HAVING A HORIZONTAL AXIS AND HAVING UPPER AND LOWER SIDES AND A PERIPHERAL SIDEWALL, THE HOUSING HAVING SUPPLY AND DISCHARGE PORTS RESPECTIVELY COMMUNICATING WITH THE UPPER AND LOWER SIDES OF SAID CHAMBER, SAID HOUSING ALSO HAVING AN ARCUATE SLOT THROUGH THE PERIPHERAL SIDEWALL AND EXTENDING CIRCUMFERENTIALLY OF THE CHAMBER INTO SPACED RELATION WITH SAID SUPPLY AND DISCHARGE PORTS, A CYLINDRICAL ROTOR MOUNTED CONCENTRICALLY IN SAID CHAMBER FOR TURNING ABOUT SAID AXIS, SAID ROTOR HAVING AN OPENING EXTENDING THERETHROUGH AND TRANSVERSELY OF THE ROTATION AXIS, SAID OPENING HAVING A FIRST OPEN END ALTERNATELY COMMUNICATING WITH SAID SUPPLY AND DISCHARGE PORTS WHEN THE ROTOR IS TURNED, A MEASURING TUBE HAVING AN INNER END AFFIXED IN THE OPENING OF SAID ROTOR AND HAVING AN OUTER END EXTENDING OUTWARDLY THROUGH SAID SLOT, SAID OUTER END HAVING AN ELONGATE SLOT EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY OF THE TUBE, A PISTON SLIDABLY MOUNTED WITHIN THE TUBE IN TIGHTFITTING RELATION AND COOPERATING WITH THE TUBE AND ROTOR OPENING IN DEFINING A POWDER MEASURE CELL OF VARIABLE SIZE, PIVOT MEANS DEFINING A PIVOT AXIS AND MOUNTED ON THE OUTER END OF THE TUBE AND EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THE ELONGATE SLOT, A FLAT CAM SWINGABLY MOUNTED ON SAID PIVOT MEANS AND LYING IN SAID SLOT IN A PLANE EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY OF THE TUBE, SAID CAM HAVING A CAMMING OUTER EDGE VARIABLY SPACED FROM SAID PIVOT AXIS AND ENGAGING SAID PISTON TO CONTROL THE POSITIONING OF THE PISTON, A SPRING WITHIN THE TUBE AND HAVING OPPOSITE ENDS, ONE END OF SAID SPRING BEING CONNECTED TO THE PISTON TO CONTINUOUSLY URGE THE PISTON AGAINST SAID CAMMING EDGES, AND MOVABLE MEANS ANCHORING THE OTHER END OF THE SPRING AND CONNECTED WITH SAID CAM FOR MOVING IN RESPONSE TO SWINGING OF THE CAM AND IN THE LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION OF THE SPRING TO MAINTAIN SUBSTANTIALLY CONSTANT SPRING PRESSURE ON THE PISTON ALONG THE ENTIRE TRAVEL THEREOF IN THE TUBE. 